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ARTICLE · 19 OCTOBER 2017

Drones Over Europe: A Regulatory Overview

Jones Day
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As the market for civil unmanned aircraft systems—also called "drones"—expands, several European countries, including France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom, have already adopted a regulatory framework.

European UnionTransport
Jones Day
Jones Day
Alexandre De Verdun
Alexandre De Verdun
Maximilian P. Krause
Maximilian P. Krause
Elizabeth A. Robertson
Elizabeth A. Robertson
Rhys W. Phelps
Rhys W. Phelps
Francesca Ravallese
Francesca Ravallese
Martin J. Wortmann
Martin J. Wortmann
Author LinkedIn connections

In Short

The Situation: Interest in drone technology continues to grow across Europe.

The Result: European nations are responding with regulations designed to encourage continued innovation while encouraging responsible drone use.

Looking Ahead: Drone users should remain aware of possible further regulatory provisions in the future.

As the market for civil unmanned aircraft systems—also called "drones"—expands, several European countries, including France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom, have already adopted a regulatory framework. An overview of current regulations follows.

France: A Pioneer in Drone Regulation

The French Transport Code defines drones as "any aircraft capable of rising or circulating in the air" (Article L. 6100-1). Despite this simplistic definition, France has been at the forefront of the regulatory initiative on drones.

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